Christ Our Immanuel

 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold—the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and will name Him God Among Us.”  There is nothing miraculous about a young woman having a baby, it happens every day.  However, the uniqueness is the prophecy of the virgin birth of the Messiah.  No child with a human father could be the fulfilment of Immanuel, “God among us”.  This prophecy was specifically the virgin Mary giving birth to the Son of David of the tribe of Judah.  Immanu El” is “God became One of us”.  A new nature is about to be planted in the soil of humanity.  It will begin as a Man but will soon become a company of men and women.  Immanuel is the partnership of heaven and earth, God and humanity.  This is also the prophecy of the virgin Bride of Christ of the last days.  Paul prophesied that God has betrothed us to One Husband, that we be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ.  This is the Father’s will for us who have Christ in us and have identified with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.  Amen!

The Church is Being Built

 “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke recorded, “The apostles performed many signs, wonders, and miracles among the people.”  These were the disciples who were now filled with the Holy Spirit and were doing all that Jesus had done.  Jesus had told His twelve disciple on the night that He was betrayed, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”  This was to build His Church for the Church is Jesus’s Body of which He is the Head.  Jesus had said that the gates of hell will not prevail against Him building His Church.  At this time when the Church began, through the apostles,  many believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.  Till today the gates of hell have not prevailed against the Church as down the ages many believers have continued to join the Church.  As Paul said, that God gave gifts to the Church, “And Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”.  Let’s believe in the miracles, signs and wonders God does through believers even today - who may be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or teachers - to bring many souls into His Church for He is the Living God.  Amen!

Be Holy for God is Holy

 “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah saw God, “And one called out to another, saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, Commander of Angel Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!”  The seraphs in the very Presence of God make the threefold repetition of the word holy as a reference to the way God manifests His holiness: - in heaven; in this world; and in the ages to come.  Today we see the triune God being praised: Holy (Father), Holy (Son), Holy (Spirit).  This sacred chant has been heard down the ages in church history in worship.  God is known as the Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah saw the sinfulness of man and the seraphim saw the glory of God.  Today, because of the finished work of Christ on the Cross, because of the Name of Christ, we are greatly blessed, because the Spirit of glory and power, who is the Spirit of God, rests upon us.  God said that He is holy and called us to be holy.  The Blood of Jesus sanctifies us into holiness and we are to follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.  Let’s live godly and holy lives because we who are Christ’s disciples, carry the Presence of God.  Amen!

Our Personal Experience with the Life-Giver & the Covenant of Life

 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬

Dr. Luke records, “There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only One  Name to Whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the Name of Jesus.” The council members were astonished as they witnessed the bold courage of Peter and John, especially when they discovered that they were just ordinary men who had never had religious training. Then they began to understand the effect Jesus had on them simply by spending time with Him.”  Just a few days ago the disciples were hiding for their life from the authorities and even when Jesus had told them to tarry in Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high, yet they disobeyed and went back to fishing in the lake at Galilee.  At this moment, after they received the power of the Holy Spirit, they were courageously withstanding the temple authorities and insisting there was no man who could claim to be the Messiah other than Jesus.  The coming of the Holy Spirit in power had made them experience the Life-Giver and they remembered the Covenant of Life Christ had made with them.  Unless each one of us who call ourselves the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ have our own personal life experience with the mighty Holy Spirit, our preaching Bible verses has no power and will not bring the fruit God desires for us.  Let’s remember the Covenant of Life that Christ has made for us personally and receive the Holy Spirit power in our lives.  Amen!

The Absolute Standard of God’s Word

 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who replace darkness with light and light with darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and see themselves as clever and shrewd.”  In that time among the Israelites and in our culture today, the moral code is reversed.  Sin is accepted as something good and not content with abandoning what is good, they must label good as evil.  Those who abandon the absolute standards of God’s Word find a reversal of every true virtue.  Good is mocked and evil is embraced.  Light is ridiculed and darkness is worn like a cloak.  The sweetness of God is called bitter; the bitterness of sin is called sweet.  Who will outwit Eternal Wisdom and who can outsmart Infinite Wisdom?  God will resist the proud of heart.  The Wisdom that comes from above is without pride for Christ through the Cross became for us Wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”  Amen!

R storation & Fulfillment of All Things

 “whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As Dr. Luke recorded, “For He must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things has taken place, fulfilling everything that God said long ago through His holy prophets.”  Restitution is the restoration of all creation to the state of existence before the fall.  Jesus had to be born as the Son of Man Who descended and He is also the One Who ascended above the heights of heaven, in order to begin the restoration and fulfillment of all things.  Jesus Himself had said, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory..” There is an appointed time of the restitution of all creation and that’s why God’s Word has been given to us, which is the very Breath of God.  All Scripture is God-breathed, given by divine inspiration and is profitable for instruction, for conviction of sin, for correction of error and restoration to obedience, for training in righteousness, learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage.  This is the heart restoration for us to be prepared with, so that we are an integral part of the restoration of all creation.  Let’s abide in God’s Word all the time.  Amen!

The Fire of Love for Jesus our Lord

 “when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied, “And the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem by a Spirit of justice and by a Spirit of burning.  Zion’s daughters are prophetically spoken for the churches of Christ. God’s people dwell in Zion which is the New Jerusalem.  Sadly, the daughters of Zion had become haughty, synonymous with filth which is translated as a drunkard’s vomit or human excrement.  The Lord is willing to cleanse them so they are humble and repentant and He does this by the Judging Spirit and by the Burning Spirit. The Spirit’s breath is the blast of justice and the blast of fire coming to cleanse God’s people.  The Spirit of Judgment releases holy vision to see things as God sees them.  Decisions will be made by the justice of God, not the prejudices of men.  It is not that He merely executes justice but that He demonstrates perfect discernment to see what is holy and what is not.  The Spirit of fire will thoroughly cleanse God’s remnant and make them holy by refining fire.  A fire of passionate love for Jesus Christ will cleanse the Church.  The fire of love as a seal over our hearts will keep us pure from temptation and end time distractions.  God will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.  Amen!

Mature Believers, the Church & the Holy Spirit

 “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Dr. Luke’s record of Pentecost is, “Then all at once a pillar of fire appeared before their eyes. It separated into tongues of fire that engulfed each one of them.”  This is the pillar of fire that led Israel from bondage into the promised land.  The same pillar of fire manifested here to intimate a new beginning from dead religious structures into the powerful life of the Holy Spirit.  Each believer received an overpowering flame of fire, signified by the shaft of light that rested and engulfed them.  It was as though each one received how own personal pillar of fire that would empower him and lead him throughout his life.  This was the promise Jesus gave to His disciples of “the One like Me”, Who would be sent by the Father and never leave them.  Today every believer is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ.  This was the birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ.  As Paul explained, “But when the Spirit of Christ empowers your life, you are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if you are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, you are not of Him.”  The Church has been called for newness of life, past the stage of repentance and now to be led by the mighty Holy Spirit through the powerful Word of God to speak righteousness into every situation.  “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.”  Let’s believe the Word of God and be the Church God wants us to be.  Amen!

The Righteous in Christ Do Well

 “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah’s prophetic word, “Yet reassure the righteous; it will go well with them! They will fully enjoy the reward of their deeds.” This was Isaiah who prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah, at a time when there were no signs of it, for it actually happened more than a century later through the Babylonian empire.  Through prophecies, God taught, that the lovers of God, even in a time of difficulty, can enjoy the sweet fruits of seeking God and serving His Kingdom.  They will reap the good seeds they planted, for seeds turn into fruit.  The fruit of their deeds is the holy confidence that God is with them, even in a season of judgment.  We can know it will go well with us, for the message of God is this: “Tell the righteous they can still be joyful and it will be well with them.  Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with His super-abundance until you radiate with hope.  Let’s sow words of encouragement to bring the fruit of joy!  The people in today’s world are fearful and anxious, and anxious hearts are very heavy, but a word of encouragement does wonders - may we be speakers of the good news, the Gospel of Christ our God of Hope.  Amen!

The Resurrection Power of the Kingdom of God

 “to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Luke’s record of Jesus’s disciples, “After the sufferings of His Cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period, proving to them with many convincing signs that He had been resurrected. During these encounters, He taught them the truths of God’s Kingdom.”  Jesus appeared to His followers at least eleven times an taught them the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.  For Jesus had told the disciples, “it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven”.  The number forty is significant for it speaks of transformation and completeness through testing.  Jesus was tempted for forty days; the deluge during Noah’s day lasted forty days and nights; Moses met with God for forty days on Sinai; Israel wandered for forty years; and Elijah fasted for forty days.  Jesus spent forty days appearing to His disciples to teach them that a day of completeness and transformation had arrived.  It took them forty days to comprehend that Christ’s Kingdom was spiritual, not political.  The world is still waiting to see “many convincing signs” from our lives signifying that we too have been raised from the dead.  Spiritual fruit and spiritual power provide these signs. Let’s  proclaim the Kingdom of God with power not just with words only.  Amen!